


Until It's Done

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Enchanted Forest Chronicles - Patricia Wrede
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-20
Updated: 2007-12-20
Packaged: 2018-01-25 03:27:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1629062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daystar adjusts to being his Father's Son.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Until It's Done

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Katmillia

 

 

The East Tower is Daystar's home, within his father's palace.

It's a strange feeling, Daystar thinks, sleeping so high up in the sky. Before all of this - before the battle, the wizards, finding his father and discovering that he's a prince - Daystar used to sleep on a straw palette on the floor, in Mother's home.

Home. What a funny word. It makes Daystar thinks of the little shack just beyond the boundaries of the forest; he wonders if he'll ever go back there. Not now, of course, but some day when he's older, to show his children. Or will that part of his life only ever live on as a story?

He wonders if Mother spared so much as a second glance backwards after boarding the place up. And then Daystar wonders if his mother ever felt at home - once, in those sixteen years - or if she was simply waiting to move on, waiting for Daystar to grow old enough to reclaim their rightful place. He sees her now as she ought to have been, all those years. They've told Daystar that his mother ran away from home, that's when became King Kazul's Princess, but even then she was a Princess.

For Daystar, it's as if he's stuck in some strange world of make believe, where he's still two years old, running away to be a prince. Daystar doubts he ever played make believe.

Sometimes Daystar has trouble staying asleep at night; he dreams that the air is thicker up here, it's harder to breathe, easier to suffocate. At times like these, Daystar wakes up with a start, his legs tangled in the sheets, feeling as though he's lost something important.

It's not until his mind tricks him into smelling summer lilies and freshly baking bread that Daystar is able to relax, and fall into a deep sleep.

*

"I can't marry you, Daystar," says Shiara.

Daystar doesn't know what to say; etiquette's failed him, he's not sure of the proper response.

"I'm sorry Daystar." Shiara looks distraught but determined. "I know it's the right thing to do."

At last Daystar finds his voice. "Why? I don't understand."

Shiara takes his hands in hers and tells him that he'll think she's crazy - and he does, a bit - he was raised to look at these things in a different way. The world that she comes from didn't have 'Happily Ever After' on the menu and girls like her don't become Princesses. It's too absurd.

"It's only been a few months," says Daystar in defense of their new lives.

"Exactly," counters Shiara. "We met a few months ago on a half mad quest in the Enchanted Forest. We barely know each other!"

"But it was meant to be this way."

"You really think so?" Shiara gives a watery laugh and Daystar digs into his pocket reflexively.

"Daystar," begins Shiara. "Do you really want to marry me?"

Daystar opens his mouth to agree, and stops mid-word.

"I want," he says finally. "To want to marry you."

"I thought so," sighs Shiara. "I mean, it's not your fault. Your Mother sort of assumed, and neither of us argued with her. She not someone you argue with."

Daystar looks at Shiara, appalled. That wasn't how it happened, was it?

"Mother's always had good judgement," offers Daystar, causing Shiara to half-laugh, half-sob into the handkerchief that he's given her.

"Daystar," begins his ex-fianceé. "Have you ever decided anything for yourself?"

And then Shiara is gone, back to the dragons, and Daystar is all alone.

*

At night when Daystar wakes, he lights the lamp beside his bed, and goes to stand by the window.

His tower is surrounded by shadows and a rustling sea of leafy green. Birds flit across the tops of trees and Daystar shudders as he remembers the nights that he spent outdoors in the forest, with no one but an untrained fire witch.

He knows now that he'd been both much safer - as linked to the forest as he is - and in much more danger - what with the whole fate of the forest resting on his shoulders - than he had at the time.

Daystar reaches out and catches a leaf between his fingers. He tugs and the leaf separates from the tree with a small rip. Daystar watches as a new leaf grows in it's place. He can feel the new magic for an instant, and then the feeling fades. He's left in the darkness, again.

*

"Father," says Daystar.

King Mendabar is reading a letter over breakfast.

"Father," says Daystar again, a more insistant.

"Mmm," says Mendabar. "Oh, I mean, yes, that's me, Son!"

As Daystar was raised by Cimorene, he doesn't feel the need to roll his eyes; the relationship is, after all, new for both of them.

"Did you ever have to win Mother's heart?" Asks Daystar.

Mendabar considers this. "Well, in the beginning she didn't think much of me but then I fixed her sink and... no, not in so many words, Daystar."

"Oh."

There's a not-quite comfortable pause.

"Having problems with Shiara, Son?" The King's voice is a too bright. Really, he would have preferred to work up to girl problems. He doesn't feel equipped to deal with these things without having gone through at least diapers and nightmares first.

"Yes," sighs Daystar. "I rather think I am."

Mendabar smiles in what he hopes is a reassuring manner. "Just be yourself."

"I think that might be the problem," says Daystar, frowning.

"Oh."

"Yes."

"In that case," says the King with a conspirator's grin, "I suggest a big romantic gesture!"

The gargoyle in the corner of the room takes great pleasure in rolling it's eyes.

*

Big romantic gestures, as it turns out, aren't very easy to arrange. The ogres are away on holiday in the marshes, and Daystar isn't much of a warrior anyways. Father refuses to throw a ball for no apparent reason, and Mother tells Daystar to be sensible - they've just come through a war, the expense is horrendous.

In the end, Daystar ends up knocking on Kazul's caves, a picnic basket in one hand.

Shiara opens the door, Nightwitch between her feet, looking a bit disgruntled.

"Oh, hello Daystar," she says.

"Lunch?" Asks Daystar, holding up the basket by way of greeting.   
"I couldn't take anymore lessons, so I snuck out."

Shiara's eyes go as wide as saucers. "Did you really? You snuck out?"

"Well, no," admits Daystar. "I told Father I was going out."

"Oh," says Shiara, but giggles in spite of herself.

Daystar finds that it's a nice feeling, to make Shiara laugh like that. He can't remember that last time he did - if ever.

Shiara leaves a note for Kazul that says she's gone to lunch.

*

It's a few more months before Daystar works up the courage to bring Shiara home, back to the house where he grew up.

There's boards over the windows and Daystar is more than a little overwhelmed seeing his childhood boxed up like this, looking so lonely.

"Hey, it's okay," says Shiara, looking at him sideways.

"I know," answers Daystar.

"I've got an idea," she says, looking around the house with speculation.

"Me too," says Daystar. And then he kisses Shiara. Once, without trepidation.

When he opens his eyes, Shiara blinks at him.

"What was that for?" asks Shiara.

"What?" asks Daystar, a feeling of horror forming in the base of his stomach. He backs away.

"I had this awful feeling," says Shiara. "As if all this had happened before."

Shiara narrows her eyes at Daystar before continuing. "I wasn't a stone statue, was I?"

"Just now?" Asks Daystar. "No..."

"Oh good," says Shiara with palpable relief. "Because I don't think I could bear it happening a second time."

"But if you didn't even notice?"

"It's the indignity, Daystar! And I'm actually a passable witch now."

Daystar smiles a lopsided grin and touches Shiara on the cheek.

She looks at him and asks, "So why'd you kiss me?"

"I felt like it."

"Not because it was the proper thing to do?"

Daystar wrapped his arms around Shiara. "Nope, I'm feeling very improper."

Shiara grinned. "You're not bad, you know. For a Prince."

*

There's a little house just outside the Enchanted Forest where a young couple lives.

The woman is a powerful witch; a kind woman, but someone that you wouldn't want to cross. Her husband is different - they balance each other out, no doubt - a polite young man, who can often be seen chasing his daughter across their front lawn in a high speed chase as they pretend to be ogres or trolls for their game of the day.

The little girl is a bit wild for a princess, between you and me, but really that's what happens when you name your child after the King of the Dragons.

*

 


End file.
